Which mobile to get as upgrade?

[baahhumbug]

I've currently got a Samsung Galaxy S and am due an upgrade in the new year. I pay £26 a month and can go up a little bit for a good phone.

I thought I would go for another Samsung until I saw the size of the S3. I don't want a budget mobile as I do a lot on my smartphone incl emails, shopping, FB, mumsnet, but I don't want something as big as the S3.

What's everyone got and would recommend? I know the iphone is smaller but I've never had an iphone. Would the 4S be ok as the iphone 5 is a bit too expensive? Having only had android, will I get used to the iphone? Are the apps free on the iphone or do they cost a lot?

Apart from email etc, I use my phone to take photos so would like a good camera with a flash, also like listening to music. Good battery life would be a plus but too much to hope for, I guess!

Have you tried holding an S3? You quickly get used to the size. Moving to Apple would be more of a change than the size increase would be! I think you'd be surprised how locked down the iPhone is, plus it doesn't have widgets, etc. which is a real annoyance when you're used to them.

What kind of level are you looking at? Most of the top end phones are now at least 4.5 inches now but HTC and Samsung both have some decent mid range phones which are smaller.

Just got an iPhone 4S this week after years of android use. Nearly threw it out of the window first night, and mourned the loss of my HTC Desire bigly, but am now getting used to it and am even loving it a little :) It is different, and not sure it's better, but it's very easy to use once you get the hang of it.

Oh, and DH has an S3 which he loves, but it does feel big to me, which put me off.

I have held the S3 and found it huge.

I have in the past tried a HTC Salsa and Sony Xperia Ray, both mid range I think, but neither could connect properly to our wifi so in the end I got the Samsung Galaxy and have had no problems since.

Dh works in high level IT and couldn't work out why the phones couldn't connect so I am loath to go for a lower level of phone again. (They did connect but constantly dropped the connection.) And I loved the Xperia Ray, beautiful screen, but need to connect to wifi all the time.

I've never even seen an iphone in action so haven't a clue whether I'd like it. I love androids.

I think I'll have to go in store and have a play with them ...

S3 mini. Same phone. Smaller size.

Ooh thanks. I sort of presumed it was a budget phone. Is it the same phone exactly apart from size?

I think so.

I have the normal s3 amd love it. Couldn't go back to a smaller phone now.

I've just had a look but it's just a mid range phone with only 5 mp camera, as I use the camera all the time I'd prefer a better one. I think the S3 has a 12 mp camera? Otherwise looks quite good though.

You really do get used to the size on the S3, I was very worried when I got mine but it's not been a problem at all once I got a case on it, I found it a bit slippery without. Now find other phones too small!

The S3 mini isn't the same phone on the inside at all, it's much lower spec.

Not sure what to suggest as a high spec but not huge Android phone....let me have a think, I'll be back if I come up with something.

Thanks Naok.

S3 is 8MP camera not 12. But either way, number of pixels is not necessarily an indication of the camera quality. 5MP cameras can produce excellent photos.

True, Pedro, but the s3 mini camera hasn't had particularly good reviews, I think others may be better.

I think I got mixed up, it may be the Sony that has 12 mp.

This article has a few options. If it's camera quality you are after, you may be better off with a Nokia: m.techcrunch.com/2012/10/11/which-trendy-new-4-inch-phone-is-for-you/

Thanks Pedro, I hadn't considered Nokia, will have a read.

I've been to O2 today and still can't find the phone I like. The Samsung SIII mini looks great but all reviews I've read say the camera is disappointing and I know I would use that a lot.

So now I'm widening my search and thinking of looking at the Nokia Lumia or the iphone.

Does the iphone connect to wifi in the same way as android phones do, free of charge? (I would probably be looking at the 4S as the iphone 5 is too expensive per month). Does the Lumia?

How easy is it to find your way around the Lumia?

Both look neat and small and both have 8 mp cameras that have had good reviews.

sorry for asking stupid questions!

The Motorola razr i is a nice mid range phone. Worth checking out

Thanks, I have looked at it, but don't really want a mid range phone, just not a large mobile like the Samsung S3, but still want a good spec especially the camera.